The Right Love
by merrimint
Summary: AU for 4x22 and beyond. Blair and Chuck let each other go and end it on good terms. Blair leaves with Louis who doesn't turn into a complete jerk . Bit of Blouis, will probably be future Dair. Blair-centric either way.
1. The Wrong Goodbye

**Author's Note**

**I didn't like what they did with Louis on the show. And I'm surprised at the lack of fics involving him. XD I ship Dair and Chair and Blouis... but this is for my frustrations with the last one specifically. (At least for now.) This chapter you've pretty much already seen. Dialogue is from the show but I trimmed it down. The next few ones will take the story in a different direction. **

"You're still here..." Chuck's voice betrayed a hint of surprise. He hadn't expected -wouldn't have expected- anyone to wait that long, especially given his and Blair's history together.

"And why wouldn't I be?" Louis's gaze met Chuck's defiantly, though there was a hint of sadness in them.

"The party's almost over." There was no provocation in his tone, but Louis stood up now to look Chuck directly in the eye.

"I know, but Blair hasn't arrived yet."

"How can you be so sure she's coming?"

"Because I love her," Louis said, simply. "And it's just as important that I believe in her. I know she's scared, but she'll figure it out. And I'll be here waiting when she does."

The tension between the two of them stiffened, but when a voice interrupted them, Chuck's demeanor changed.

"You forgot your-" Blair walked in carrying Chuck's coat, eyes widening when she spotted Louis. Overlooking her obvious surprise, Louis delightedly rushed to greet her.

"I knew you would come!" A grin broke across his face and he leaned forward expectantly, but stopped when he saw her hesitation.

"I'm sorry it took me so long." her voice was sincere, but her expression worried him. "We need to talk..."

That wasn't what he had been expecting to hear.

Louis looked at the two of them, and Chuck's coat, and finally pieced it together.

"I see..." He trailed off, crestfallen.

"Louis..."

"Blair-"

"No, I need to do this myself." Blair ignored Chuck's interruption.

Louis looked at her expectantly, waiting for the words he knew would break hisheart.

"What I need to tell you is-"

"What she's trying to tell you is that you have my blessing," Chuck blurted out. "I couldn't be happier you two are getting married."

Blair snapped up in surprise, but quickly put on a smile as Louis shook Chuck's hand and pulled her into a hug. Louis seemed to be the only one who did not notice her smile waver.

* * *

"How do you feel about tonight?" Chuck asked, seeing her eyes brim with tears.

"Awful. In fact, I've never felt this way before."

"Guilt. I feel it too."

...

"I will always love you."

"And I will always love you," Chuck repeated, planting one last kiss on her forehead before letting her rejoin Louis at the foot of the stairs.

Their conversation, though brief, was exactly what they each needed to feel closure. Their actions that night had been in the heat of the moment. And though neither truly regretted it, they both felt it was for the best.

Blair and Chuck, Chuck and Blair- the world had seen their great love sizzle and explode over the years... but it was finally time to let go. They each made each other better people. And their connection would always be undeniable, but they just weren't meant to be. Blair loved Louis too. It was different. It was simple, pure, and not destructive. Chuck couldn't stand in the way of that, and he could only hope one day he would find something like that too.


	2. This is Anything

Safe. Warm. A little shaken, but happy. Blair closed her eyes for a moment as she let Louis wrap an arm around her and lead her upstairs.

"You have made me the happiest man alive, Blair. All my life I thought I'd never find true love, but-"

She raised a finger to his lips, effectively shushing him as he looked at her quizzically.

She exhaled deeply, feeling her stomach turn at what she was about to do next.

"Louis, we still have to talk."

Louis nodded enthusiastically, pulling her to sit down on the bed beside him.

"Of course. I want to know you, Blair. I want to know everything about you. Even the darkest sides of you that you think I can't accept. I'll stand by you through anything."

His voice was so earnest, so unsuspecting. Blair cringed.

"Don't say that. Not _anything_...not yet."

"But you know it's true Blair!" He pulled her close, and she felt herself turning to jelly in his embrace.

"No. You can't mean anything until you've heard everything. I made that mistake once..." Her mind flashed to that night at the Empire. _'Blair, you promised you'd stand by me in my darkest hour... The worst thing I could have ever done. This, this is anything...' 'I never thought the worst thing you would ever do would be to me.'_

Louis seemed to be waiting with baited breath.

So she began. Blair opened up to him, and told him everything. From the most important parts of her life as a little girl, to her teenage struggles and insecurities, to being in Serena's shadow and her parent's divorce... Nate, Chuck. He was patient all throughout it. He laughed when she did as she recounted her favorite moments. She was opening up to him, giving him more information than she had ever had to tell before. (Though the only other people she would have wanted to share it with had been there for it all.)

Then, at last, she was at the present.

"Tonight Russel Thorpe tried to kill me."

Louis grimaced and pulled her closer, but she pushed him back as she continued, throat getting drier and drier until she got to the most recent part.

"I wasn't ready to let go just yet. I... I slept with Chuck."

This time it was he who backed up a few feet from her. Blair could feel her heart pounding in her ears now, but forced herself to meet his gaze. There was no anger in Louis's eyes. Just hurt.

She tried to explain further, but he was no longer listening. She had lost him the moment she blurted out the truth.

Before she could stop him, Louis stood up and was bolting for the door.

"I'm sorry. I thought I could, but I can't. I can't do this," he muttered, letting the door slam shut behind him.


	3. Chapter 3

It was early morning in Manhattan. The sun had just begun to rise and the city was cast in the pale blue of twilight. A car pulled up at the Waldorf residence and a scraggly haired man, carrying a bouquet of peonies and a large bag exited.

Minutes later, a limousine stopped by as well.

Dan seated himself on the couch, seeing that Blair wasn't down. He wanted to check on her, but didn't want to wake her. She had stopped responding to his concerned messages, and he could only hope she had finally exhausted herself of tears and had gotten some sleep. It had been a strange, knowing Blair Waldorf was in such a vulnerable state, even if it had only been over the phone. He began to doze off himself when the elevator dinged, jolting him awake again.

"Dorota, you're here early. Did Blair tell you too?" he asked, before seeing that the person who stepped out of the elevator wasn't Blair's maid, but none other than the royal ass himself, unshaved, bloodshot, and wearing what appeared to be a very disheveled suit.

Dan raised an eyebrow. "Oh...Lo- your highness. What are you doing here?"

Louis glanced around the apartment, preoccupied, before acknowledging Dan.

"Daniel," he said, looking just as surprised as the man he was talking to. "I'm here to see Blair. What about you? What would bring you here so early in the morning?"

He glanced down at Dan, who held a bouquet and package.

Dan cleared his throat uncomfortably.

"I'm here to see Blair too, actually. I heard about what happened last night with Russel from Nate, and wanted to check up on her. She seemed pretty shaken, and when I asked if anyone was there for her, she uh, talked about... your brea- I j-just thought she could use a little...comforting. A friend, flowers, Breakfast at Tiffany's." He found himself rambling and held up the bouquet. "And I was out all night driving around town to find a bakery that opened early enough to get her every type of macaroon available."

Dan grew uncomfortable as Louis looked him over for a second. If he was suspicious, he showed no sign of it. After what seemed to be a long, awkward pause, Louis sighed and let out a low chuckle.

"I guess we have a little in common. Except the main difference is that I am a complete idiot and you are probably the best friend that ever existed. I was out all night as well. Right after I left her, I tried to leave, but I couldn't do that, couldn't think, couldn't sleep... I kept replaying the night over and over until I realized what a huge mistake I had made. So I pulled all my strings and got Tiffany's to open early. I forgot the flowers, but I did got her this-" Louis held up his package, opening the box to reveal a glittering diamond necklace.

"She'd been eyeing this piece for awhile, and I thought it might soften her a little after I apologize. I'm so stupid. Do you think she'll take me back?"

"Well, I-"

"Hello?" a voice echoed down into the waiting room. Blair put a hand on the bannister and was just rounding the corner of the stairs.

"Dorota, is that you? I heard voices."

"Blair!"

She froze at the sound of the French accent, and almost stumbled down the last steps in shock. Louis caught her firmly and helped her down.

"Louis, what- you-" She threw up her hands defensively. "If you're here to take the ring back, you can have it." She slipped it off and threw it at him, and he winced as it hit him squarely on the head.

"I...deserved that," he grimaced, picking up the ring and rubbing his head painfully.

"That's not what I was here for. Blair, I am so sorry. After I left last night, I realized what a huge mistake I made. I don't care about your past. It might have been complicated, but you've been honest. I told you I wanted you- all of you- and I meant it. I still do. Blair, please, if you'll still have me I promise I'll do everything in my power, from this day forth, to make sure you are nothing but ha-" he was cut off as Blair wrapped her arms around him and silenced him with a long, passionate kiss.

When they finally pulled apart her eyes were watering.

They stared at each other for what seemed to be an eternity, seemingly communicating in an unspoken language as they gazed into each other's eyes. It was so lovey-dovey it was sickening. Dan stood a few feet away, feeling like an intruder as he averted his gaze away from the couple.

At last, they broke eye contact.

It was only after she let Louis slip the ring back on her finger that she noticed Dan's presence.

"Humphrey!" In an instant Blair snapped back to her usual, demanding self. "What are you doing here?"

"I brought you an emergency comfort kit, for like I-was-almost-killed-and-dumped but it looks like... wow I feel awkward."

She eyed the flowers and bakery bag in his hands and rolled her eyes. But she softened, not wanting to seem cruel.

"Thank you." She reached forward for a hug.

His breath caught as she released him in what he felt was too soon.

"You really are a good friend. I'll only say this once, but I do appreciate you."

"I'll be going then," he nodded, putting the bag down and running a hand through his hair. "I'll just leave this here."

"See you around Humphrey. We're still on for that movie on Friday though, right?"

"Yep." He gave her a mock salute, before heading to the elevator.

When the doors closed, he let out the sigh he had been holding in.

**A/N- couldn't think of a suitable chapter name yet. Next I hope to address Dan's book coming out, Blair's summer in Monaco/with the Grimaldis, and Louis's assistant Estee. I'll probably throw in a happy ending for Chuck as well. I'll have to see how long it ends up being.**


	4. Chapter 4

"I'm afraid I must get back to my duties," Louis sighed. "Though spending the last few days with you have been..." he trailed off to whisper in her ear, causing her to giggle.

"Go," Blair ordered, pushing him away. "Before the people of Monaco arrest me for kidnapping their prince."

He laughed, and gave her a kiss on the cheek before entering his limo.

"I'll see you soon," he promised. Both of them were grinning madly as the limo pulled away.

x-

"Mama, he is irresponsible! He's ignoring his duties." Beatrice was exasperated. She couldn't for the life of her understand why everyone in Monaco was so smitten with her brother, especially when he had made it clear his priorities did not lie with the country. He had ignored his phone calls and pretty much dropped off the face of the earth, all to spend time with that...Blair Waldorf.

"We know where he is...why don't we just get him?" she demanded, secretly hoping her mother would storm the Waldorf apartment and her brother would cause a scene for their interference. She wasn't exactly sure what she wanted to happen, but anything was better than living in her brother's shadow, especially now that his head was filled with more hot Blair than any sense of responsibility.

"Mama! Beatrice!"

She spoke too soon. Beatrice forced a smile as her brother greeted her with a hug.

"It is good to see you too, Louis. After what, a week?"

He laughed, not seeming to notice the sarcasm in his sister's voice.

"I was...busy." He grinned sheepishly.

"I take it you two are in a good place now?" Sophie asked, eying him warily as her daughter scoffed.

"Never better," he assured her.

"Good. If you were going to sacrifice your title and life for this girl, at least she makes you happy." Sophie sighed, giving her son a slight nod. Out of all the girls he had dated and the ones she had forced him to date, he had never been so enamored with anyone. She hated the amount of influence Blair had over her son. But, seeing that this was a battle she could not win, she had conceded...for now, at least.

A knock sounded at the door.  
"Come in," Sophie commanded.

Estee, a young woman in a business suit, entered holding a clipboard. She gave them all a short curtsy.

"No news for you, your highness." Sophie nodded curtly and exited the room with Beatrice close behind.

Louis was adjusting his tie when Estee cleared her throat. She had been intently staring at him for the past few minutes, but he had been too lost in his thoughts to notice.

"Oh, Estee. Was there something you needed to tell me?"

"Actually, yes. You've been ignoring your duties for the past few days and with your vacation over the work has really piled up."

"There couldn't have been that much..."

His eyes widened when she handed him the clipboard.

"I'll get started right away."

Estee couldn't hide her eager expression and almost rubbed her palms together in anticipation. Oh, he was finally back! If only he would stay that way. She figured there was no way he would actually go through with marrying the Waldorf girl. Although Louis was no snob (the two of them were friends, after all) he would soon realize how little he and Blair really had in common. The two had no history. An outsider could never appreciate their country's culture and beauty. And once the rush of the summer romance faded, he would return to his duties, to Monaco, and late nights at the office...with her.

x-

"Wait, so what exactly are you doing here?"

Blair ignored him and pushed past him and into his home. Dan rolled his eyes. That was Blair, always acting as if she owned the place.

"I needed a change of scenery, Humphrey."

"And you actually want to hang out with me, at the loft?"

"Please, you know you're not that bad," she scoffed.

"Say it."

"No."

"Say it, Waldorf."

"I kind of missed you, alright? And I've got nowhere to go. Louis is busy, Serena's still in California, my minions are idiots, and I need a friend. You've been a good one. But wipe that smug look off your face or I'll have a stylist lop off that mop you call hair while you're asleep. Have you seriously not had a haircut since we worked together at W?"

"Not since you told me it looked nice."

"I believe my exact words were 'not bad.' And that was five inches ago!"

"I'll get the popcorn," he laughed, running a shaky hand through his locks.

**a/n Not much, but I felt bad about not uploading in awhile. **


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